There's nothing strange in that.

At all stages of the long Peninsular campaign many of our men-of-war of the smaller kind were cruising off the north coast of Spain--as risky and disagreeable a station as can be well imagined.
It looks as though that ship of his had had some special service to perform.

A careful explanation of all the circumstances was to be expected from our man, only, as I've said, some of his pages (good tough paper too) were missing: gone in covers for jampots or in wadding for the fowling-pieces of his irreverent posterity.

But it is to be seen clearly that communication with the shore and even the sending of messengers inland was part of her service, either to obtain intelligence from or to transmit orders or advice to patriotic Spaniards, guerilleros or secret juntas of the province.

Something of the sort.